Skype

I used Skype to collaborate with Rachael Locklin recently about our interview that we would be doing together the following week. We discussed our topic and the questions and answers very thoroughly. This would have been difficult had we only used email or instant messaging.

Immediately after final exams next week, I'll be packing my things and moving to Enterprise to get married and start my life. Good for me, right? Not so good for my mother, though. She was devastated when it hit her that I would be leaving very soon. Lucky for her, I just learned how to use Skype, so today I went to her house to set her up an account so we'll have a better way to keep in touch after I move. She was THRILLED.

Needless to say, I'll be using Skype everyday in my near future!

My Skype username is jess.f.lynn.

Substantive Presentation

Since Google Docs has been the most useful technology tool I've learned about this semester, I decided to create a presentation for my substantive project. Rachael Lockin and I explored the subject of technology literate teachers vs. illiterate teachers:

Vocaroo Voice Thread was so easy!

I'm not even going to lie - I've been putting off the Vocaroo project for a while now! I was so surprised at how easy it was to do! Sure, the main reason I put it off for so long was because I didn't have a microphone, but when I finally got my hands on one, I was very surprised to learn how easy and useful it really is.

I left Tracy Alms a voice thread comment on her blog about Google.

This is a more personal way to leave comments, I think, and I definitely see myself using this feature in the future.

Comments4Teachers: Candace Follis

Mrs. Follis is a second-year high school teacher of English. Her blog The Follis Files is specifically aimed at new teachers. I admire her outlook on teaching; she believes that "it should be relatively authentic, it should be as student centered as is appropriate for material but still beneficial to students, and that we should have high expectations to the extent that students are appropriately challenged."

My favorite post by Mrs. Follis was her post about how her experience as a waitress has helped her in her teaching career. As an experienced waitress myself, I am excited to realize just how much my work will help me in the classroom in the future; I always knew that it takes special attention to successfully wait tables (so everyone is satisfied!), and now I really see how this ties into teaching: you have to make sure every student is accommodated for, too. YOU are there for THEM.

Her post about her favorite things surprised me: they're some of the things Dr. Strange has taught me to use! Mrs. Follis seems to really rely on her PLN, too. I will definitely add her to mine: she offers a lot of insight for new teachers, and the fact that she's an English teacher makes her more appealing and helpful to me, too!

Comments4Teachers: Bill Ferriter

I subscribed to Bill Ferriter's blog The Tempered Radical a couple of weeks ago; I receive alerts on my iGoogle home page every time he makes a new post. He is a 6th grade language arts teacher in North Carolina, and he is NOT very fond of interactive white boards; he believes that "Willy-nilly spending on silver bullets is literally sinking American schools." (That is a quote from his most recent post...) It's interesting to hear the other side of the story concerning SMART Boards - because everyone seems to be crazy about them, and he has certainly helped me see the downsides to spending the money on the "really expensive overhead projectors." Mr. Ferriter honestly believes that IWBs are not all that they are cracked up to be; everything that they "accomplish" can be done more efficiently and less expensively with practical tools than with a SMART Board. I'd have to say that I agree...

Another post I found to be very interesting was the one where Mr. Ferriter debated on whether or not school is relevant for students. He argued that, "the standardized preparation that students receive in our factory-model of education leaves them woefully underprepared to be noteworthy contributors when the enter the work world, where innovation and risk-taking are rewarded." What kind of life is this type of learning preparing these students for?

"What can we be proud of about American education? What should we criticize? What are you convinced we need to keep? What could we pitch tomorrow? Let's do a bit of dreaming about what should be."

Mr. Ferriter makes very good points that I have not really considered - especially about the whiteboards. He makes it a point to make his instruction as relevant and cost-efficient as possible, and I'm sure his students adore him and his honest, genuine, understanding instruction. I especially liked reading his posts about his life and personal teaching styles: he is an adoptive father with a noteworthy outlook on parenting, and he is an understanding teacher to his students.

Kids write my favorite blogs!

Here is an update to some more blogs written by kids that I have been reading lately:

Iron is a seven-year-old in Mrs. Tuala's class in New Zealand. Iron recited her "Mihi in Maori," and she did such a beautiful job! I wasn't really sure what a "Mihi in Maori" was, so I looked it up. "Mihi" actually means "tongue," and "Maori" is a culture. I found an amazing website that helped me better understand what this is. The Mihi is the story:

"Ko ___ te maunga" means: ____ is my mountain.
"Ko ___ te awa" means: ____ is my river.
"Ko ___ te iwi" means: ____ is my tribe.
"Ko ___ te kura" means: ____ is my school.
"Ko ___ te tumuaki" means: ____ is my principal.

This is certainly a wonderful thing for Iron to understand, and she did such a beautiful job learning and reciting hers! I'm proud of her!


Esrah is in Mrs. Barks's Room 10 class. He made a wonderful animation about his life at home and at school. I was really amazed at what this kid can do! I don't even know how to do animation. Hopefully Esrah will be posting more of his work soon. I watched some of the other animations from students in his class, and they were all equally impressive!


Miracle is in Room 16. Miracle made an animation about the Treaty of Waitangi that helped people live in peace. It really makes me wish I had learned how to do animation when I was their age! They are all so creative, and I know this teaching approach will help these students retain everything they've learned so far!

Comments4Teachers: Dianne Krauss

Dianne Krauss is an instructional technology specialist for professional development, assistance and support for the faculty in the Wissahickon School District; she posts many useful links on her blog "A Whole New Dianne" to help teachers use technology in their classrooms and in their everyday lives. Her blog posts (always titled, "Look what I found: date") include links to new gadgets and tools for the technology world - tools that enable, tools that supplement, and tools that teach. I've noticed that most of her blogs contain links to Wolfram|Alpha for Educators: this website includes links to lessons, demonstrations, resources, classroom assignments, and products on various subjects and services such as webMathematica and other technology topics. "Our long-term goal is to make all systematic knowledge immediately computable and accessible to everyone."

A wonderful link that she included in one her posts is a website designed to help anyone to create their OWN website. Flavors.me could be useful for teachers to create their own websites for their classrooms to help students and parents keep up with important information: deadlines, school activities, etc.

There are also lots of relevant links for specific study-oriented teachers (i.e. secondary educators): math teachers would really benefit from a website that would allow them to create their own practice worksheets to target exactly what they taught in class; science teachers could use videos from real scientists in the field of study they're teaching to supplement their lessons with real-life examples; teachers could contact other educators via Skype whom they believe could have more answers and insight on a topic to benefit their students. BBC has a website full of podcasts that may appeal to world history or civics teachers of 7-14-year-olds: it's like a news channel for children!

By following Dianne Krauss, I have come across TONS of new tools I can use in my future classroom to make sure that my students are getting the most out of the lessons I teach them; Mrs. Krauss will definitely be a valuable addition to my PLN.

Timetoast Timeline

I used Timetoast to create the most useful timeline I've ever made. I chose to do my timeline on my life so it would be easy for me to keep up with my constantly-changing life. I certainly plan to continue adding important details and dates to this timeline - one that will be easy to share with friends and new members of my family. I only wish my mother or grandmother had some sort of timeline for me to enjoy. This is such a wonderful way to keep up with all the important milestones in life - and an easy way to do school projects!


Enjoy!

Google Earth Project: Mobile Residencies

Since I have lived all over Mobile County for the past 18 years or so, I decided to use Google Earth to create a tour of my residencies. This will help me remember my life in Mobile after I move to Enterprise next month, and it will help me share a piece of my personal history with Mobile natives and new friends alike. Enjoy!



In order, these are the places I've lived (the stops in the tour):
Sunway Lane, Eight Mile
Middle Ring Road, Mobile
Winner Drive, Grand Bay
Gunn Road, Theodore (don't remember exact house)
Becky Lane, Mobile
Root Drive, Semmes
Patillo Road, Mt. Vernon
March Road, Irvington (don't remember exact house)
Red Roof Inn, Tillman's Corner
Natchez Highway, Wilmer
Dorm, University of South Alabama
Greentree Apartments, Mobile
The Grove, University of South Alabama (Not built yet in the picture)
Cimarron Ridge Apartments, Mobile
Jackson Crossing Apartments, Enterprise (Not built yet in the picture)

Survey Says!

I created a survey using a Google Docs Form, asking EDM 310 students about their opinions on some things about the class. 30 people responded, and this is what they had to say.

The questions I asked and the responses I was given are as follows:

Were you excited about taking EDM 310 initially?

I couldn't wait!		2	7%
It was required - no preference.		18	62%
I had nooo idea what I was getting myself into!		9	31%

Has EDM 310 met or exceeded your expectations so far?

This is exactly what I expected.		4	14%
I had no idea it would be this intense!		20	69%
No sweat. Easy stuff.		5	17%

How often do you attend required lab meetings and lectures?

I haven't missed one.		17	59%
They're required?!		1	3%
I go when I wake up on time.		0	0%
I've only missed a couple.		11	38%

What is/are your favorite part(s) about this class so far?

Writing blogs		9	31%
Reading blogs written by kids		13	45%
Creating my PLN for future reference		0	0%
Reading my classmates' blogs		1	3%
Projects! Presentations, podcasts, surveys!		1	3%
Skyping with people I've read about		2	7%
Working with my group members		2	7%
No exams!!		20	69%

People may select more than one checkbox, so percentages may add up to more than 100%.


Do you like filling out surveys posted?

I don't mind them.		24	83%
I don't see the point.		4	14%
What surveys?		0	0%
I couldn't wait to make my own!		1	3%

How about the blogs?

I look forward to doing mine every week.		5	17%
It's just another thing to do.		14	48%
I can't wait to get this over with.		10	34%
What blogs?		0	0%

What have you learned the most about so far?

Blogging		20	69%
iGoogle/Google Docs		17	59%
Skype		2	7%
Podcasts		12	41%
Delicious		0	0%
iTunes/iTunes University		3	10%
Personal Learning Network		13	45%
Other		1	3%

People may select more than one checkbox, so percentages may add up to more than 100%.


Which ones do you feel would be most useful to you in the future?

Blogging		17	59%
iGoogle/Google Docs		16	55%
Skype		9	31%
Podcasts		11	38%
Delicious		3	10%
iTunes/iTunes University		7	24%
Personal Learning Network		6	21%
Other		4	14%

People may select more than one checkbox, so percentages may add up to more than 100%.

Dr. Strange mentioned how the lab meetings may not be required anymore. How do you feel about this?

I'll probably still come anyway.		18	62%
I don't understand why attendance is required anyway...		4	14%
Do it! Do it! Do it!		4	14%
I need more personal time for homework anyway.		3	10%

Using this scale, how strongly would you recommend this class to someone else?

1 -	Not at all!	2	7%
2		2	7%
3		1	3%
4		1	3%
5		5	17%
6		5	17%
7		6	21%
8		4	14%
9		2	7%
10 -	Prescribe to everyone.	1	3%

The recent debate about the expected time/workload for this class seems to be a touchy subject. How do you feel about it?
(These answers can be viewed here, and published comments about this question can viewed on my blog here.)

Using Google Docs for Teaching

Rachael Locklin and I created this presentation to teach our entire class about Down syndrome. We used Google docs to create a presentation that is easy to create, easy to follow, and easy to share.

A closer look at this blogger...

At the beginning of this semester, I was taught how to use Google docs to create presentations; for one of my projects, I used this feature of Google to create a presentation filled with pictures of me and my life. I decided to wait to post it to my blog so I could include a slide of my new niece, Kelsey: she was born March 3, 2010, at 5:25AM, weighing 6lbs, 14oz, 21in. Be sure not to miss that slide!

Also, since my class presentation, I added a slide of my engagement! Jeremy proposed to me on February 12 - the first day it has snowed in Mobile for 13 years; he actually wrote the proposal IN the snow. It was a very special weekend for me: the snow, Valentine's Day, and our 2-year anniversary.

Enjoy!

EDM 310 Workload = Touchy subject!

Dr. Strange is encouraging us to start a discussion for this week's blog post, and one issue I have been particularly interested in concerning our EDM 310 class...is the issue of the time expected to be spent doing work for this class. I did my survey on this issue (which can be taken here and results viewed here), and this was actually the last question I asked in it. The responses I got were vague and even vulgar. Now, I'm curious to see how people will respond when their names will be displayed...



So, my official question (as I asked in my survey) is "The recent debate about the expected time/workload for this class seems to be a touchy subject. How do you feel about it?"

My response to this question when I am asked is simply this:

I believe that this class would be easier to manage if it were split between two semesters as a series: some students are not as computer-savvy coming into this class as some, and these students would get more out of this class if they were allowed more time for instruction in and working on the projects and lessons. Certainly some people do not find the work hard, and these people very well can do the class in one semester; this is fine - just because some can and others cannot does not mean that those who are not as advanced are incompetent and don't deserve the same opportunities the others are given (because this was actually a response I got on my survey! How insensitive and arrogant!).

Once again, I'm curious to see how people will respond when their name appears with their answer...

It's all about CHANGE!

Technology-Illiterate Teachers like The Zax?
After watching this video posted on Dr. Strange's blog, I read some of the comments posted; I was amazed at how some people believed that teachers are like the two Zaxes. These characters were unnecessarily stubborn beyond reconciliation, and I don't believe that any teacher would be so set in his/her ways to the point of absolute refusal to change with the times - especially if it concerns the well-being and education of their students = their MAIN duty as a teacher! This idea is simply absurd, and if any teacher is considered a "Zax," perhaps they should reevaluate their profession...
"I'll stay here not budging; I can, and I will if it makes you and me and the whole world stand still." The world didn't stand still. The Zax got nothing accomplished in their stubbornness...


Won by a Landslide!
The children from PS 22 did such a wonderful job on their rendition of the song "Landslide." I've heard many versions before, and this one was definitely the most inspiring - the most beautiful.

To relate the lyrics to teaching (and to the Zax video), teachers should realize that change is good! Change indicates progress and improvements (in most cases, anyway); teachers shouldn't be "afraid of changes," because if they "build [their] lives around [students]," they would be changing with them: supplementing, encouraging, and improving their lives and their education.

The fact that these children allowed their work to be posted online, they allowed others to be inspired. Even the artist of the song originally was touched! This brought them to a concert in Madison Square Garden: a reward for their hard work and a chance to expand their inspiration to an entirely new, different audience. Posting work in public domains offers lessons for anyone in search of them. This is exactly what Kaia, Ms. Cassidy's students in Canada, and Mrs. McCafferty's class have been doing. I have learned so much from them and from many others brave enough to share their inspiration with the world!

More kids, more comments!

Just like Little Kaia, these kids have given me insight as to what it's like for younger people to experience the world; Kaia showed me her perspective on nature, and these kids showed me their perspectives on games, zoos, and electronics.

Lavinia is in Room 6 (10-12 year olds) of St. Pius X. She wrote about her day at school, particularly her game of "King Ball." I'm not sure what that is, but it definitely sounds like dodge ball. Lavinia is so good at it, either way: she never got out. I wish I was that good when I played. It has been a long time...

Jenna F. of Mrs. Goerend's class wrote a persuasive essay about animals in zoos. She is very persuasive indeed! I love how she used specific examples and even quotes to prove her point. She is in sixth grade, and she is becoming a wonderful writer!

Michala of Mrs. Shelter's seventh grade class understands the pros and cons of electronics! This is very important in realizing what the best way of communication can be at the appropriate time.


It's always so interesting to me to read how kids of different ages see and think about different things. Reading their blogs give me a taste of what I'll be dealing with one day when I have my own classroom.

What a beautiful inspiration!

I just read an amazing story about a beautiful little girl named Kaia: she lives in Qatar, and her father took her outside to truly experience the world - whether "beautiful" or not. Kaia took her own pictures of her surroundings, showing just how beautiful the otherwise-perceived "ugliness" can truly be. Lucky for the world, Kaia shared her pictures and experiences on her blog, and I highly recommend that everyone take a look - and be inspired as I was when I saw them. At only three years old (!), Kaia has been an inspiration to me as a future mother and aspiring educator. I can only hope that others will be able to see the world as Little Kaia can. The inspiration doesn't stop there...

Kaia's father actually got in contact via Skype with Mr. Chamberlain's class in Missouri to answer any questions they had about Qatar - or anything they couldn't experience for themselves all the way in Missouri. Not only is this a huge step in the utilization of technology for these students, but they were able to fully appreciate all they wanted to know by their second-hand experience with Mr. Raisdana (who gives his own account of the matter here): a legitimate experience which cannot be fully found by reading books alone. These students will never forget this experience (they even responded with their own thanks!), and hopefully it will open doors to more communication and knowledge-searches.

There's nothing like a genuine experience to generate genuine interest.

Randy Pausch's Last Lecture

Achieving Your Childhood Dreams
The theme for this lecture was "what would you teach if you were teaching your last lecture?" Dr. Pausch chose to teach how to enable the dreams of others and how to learn from these lessons of life. He stresses the importance of having specific dreams, and throughout his life, he met many brick walls in his pursuance of his dreams. He characterized this brick wall throughout the lecture as being a definite obstacle - for those who were unwilling to surpass it; they're presented to stop the people who don't want to pass them badly enough; these brick walls show your dedication and allows you to prove just how badly you want something. Dr. Pausch undoubtedly faced many - and still is today, but he says that "We cannot change the cards we are dealt, just how we play the hand."

Dr. Pausch says that the best way to get anyone to learn is through a "head fake": teach hidden values as an indirect lesson. Hard work, sportsmanship, perseverance, and teamwork aren't taught directly - but playing football is the best way to teach them. The best way to teach these values is to make them think they're learning something else: something fun. Also, give feedback. The best gift an educator can give is to teach the students how to be self-reflective. This way, students can receive their feedback, interpret it, listen to it, cherish it, and USE it. Results may not be immediate, but "if you wait long enough, people will surprise and impress you."

Sometimes NOT achieving your goals is just as influential: it's all about what you learn from the experience - "because that's what you get when you don't get what you want." It's important to remember who helped you get to where you are now: teachers, parents, friends, colleagues, and students deserve their credit in your success. The best way to get the most out of what you're experiencing is just to HAVE FUN. "Never lose the child-like wonder" because with children, there are no boundaries; they see no limits, and Dr. Pausch even points out that the biggest disservice you can do to a student is to set a bar or boundary anywhere for them. Also, help others, be good at something, don't bail, show gratitude, don't complain, work harder, and find the best in everybody - no matter how long it takes.

This was probably the most inspirational, relevant lecture I've ever heard. It was full of personal, touching examples, and Dr. Pausch really knew how to utilize them. It actually brought tears to my eyes when he brought out the birthday cake for his wife and had the entire audience sing to her. This was his way of showing how important it is to focus on others, not yourself. I learned a lot from this lecture - because of the head fake he implemented! This lecture was not about how to achieve your dreams; it was about how to lead your life: "Lead it the right way, and Karma will take care of the rest. Your dreams will come to you."

I was especially touched when he revealed the biggest head fake: this lecture wasn't for anyone in the audience... it was for his children.

I would recommend this video to anyone. It definitely IS worth the time.

My PLN

As I have said in most of my previous blogs, I have learned so much so far this semester in this class - more than I ever could have imagined! - and I owe it all to my educators. Not until recently did I realize that everyone who has helped me in this educational journey is part of my personal learning network. I have learned how to use Google as more than just a search engine, and I believe that has been the most helpful resource I have learned to use thusfar. Google Docs has assisted me in Dr. Strange's class AND in my other classes and personal life. Some of the projects I have done in EDM 310 I have shared with people I know just because I was proud of them - and I used Google Docs to display them! I learned how to use iTunes and iTunes University for the first time, and I realized how valuable podcasts are to students. YouTube offers many educational tools accessible to anyone. Wikipedia is not always the best resource to use, and I learned exactly why thanks to some blogs that I read...

Blogging was a chore for me for a while, but now I see how important it is: all I have to do is go back to reference what I wrote for myself about many different things such as new technologies, teaching methods, etc. So I have become my own reference in a way! After reading blogs from other teachers and watching videos about their techniques, I have learned to turn to them as references, too. Vicki Davis, Ken Robinson, Karl Fisch, Richard Miller, Kelly Hines, Kathy Cassidy - and her students, Bill Ferriter, and my personal favorites Dr. Alice Christie and Michael Wesch (II) have all helped me understand different aspects, techniques, technologies used, and issues of teaching today - as well as helped me develop my own opinions and preferences on each subject. I believe that is the most important aspect of a PLN: developing your own teaching methods and persona. I really have "amused myself to death."

I love kids' blogs!

Throughout this semester, I've been reading and commenting on students' blogs from all over the world. I love hearing what these kids are up to, what they're learning, how they're doing in school, what they like to do, and how they are the best they can be. They are extremely intelligent, and a lot of times, they seem to know more about blogging and technology than I did before this class! It is true when people say that teachers can learn as much from their students as they teach them! As a future educator, I'm trying to get caught up with the technology that students are using that will help them become easier and more effective learners. I definitely wasn't technology literate before I started this class, but I like to think that I've made fantastic progress. With these kids as my inspiration, I hope to learn even more!

Micheal from Ms. Deyenberg's 5th grade class
I really enjoy reading Micheal's blogs! He really likes PE and going to the gym to play. From what I read, I don't think he likes social studies very much. I don't blame him: I don't, either! He did a really cool science project, and he always does well on his science and spelling tests. Apparently, he had a sleepover at his school, and I really enjoyed looking at all the pictures on his teacher's blog. I will definitely keep reading his blog posts. He does such a great job!

Dalton from Ms. Cassidy's class
Dalton is just learning how to read and write. I love reading his blogs and watching the videos he's in that Ms. Cassidy makes. I've written about these videos in some of my other blog posts. I have definitely learned a lot from them. Dalton and his classmates have a wonderful teacher! He seems to like writing about snow! After I read his post about toast, I made myself some. I can tell how much he's learned since he started his blog, and I can't wait to see how he does in the future!

Mrs. McCafferty's class is learning about the ocean!
I know this is a very intelligent class because they are learning some very interesting and detailed things about the ocean. It is amazing how much Mrs. McCafferty has used technology and hands-on activities to help her kids learn. I watched a video of them playing an ongoing game, and they were all very interested and interactive. I'm sure they will all continue to play this game after the school year ends. Field trips, games, blogs... What creative ways to keep students interested!

Rachel G from Mrs. Kolbert's class
Rachel only has two blog posts, but she seems very outspoken: she wanted to represent her class in saying good bye to Mrs. Brehm - whom I suppose was the principal because her next post was about their new principal Mr. Slack. The rest of Mrs. Kolbert's students write blogs pretty often, so maybe Rachel moved? Or maybe she doesn't really like blogging. :) Either way, Mrs. Kolbert's students are all really smart and interesting! They do a wonderful job at writing about important and current topics like the Olympics.


These are all really smart kids, and I hope to be able to be a role model to my future students just as these teachers are to their students!

Amuse yourself to death

This Is How We Dream: Part 1 and Part 2.
Richard Miller created two very interesting videos about the incremental and fundamental changes of writing, creating, publishing, researching, and collaboration. Some of these things I never even noticed because they just seemed to have just become a way of life; I would never dream to go back to the days where the Internet wasn't the first choice of a means of research - and yet I didn't notice the instant change. That's just an interesting concept that these videos made me realize...

Mr. Miller points out in Part 1 how the basic means of knowledge acquisition have changed while simultaneously making the viewer aware of how important it is to embrace these changes if they haven't already become part of everyday life: the computer is the new desktop - no longer pen and paper; instead of going to a library to do research and learn what you can with the books present in that particular library, you can use the web to access an infinite database of ever-changing, instantly-updating publications online - rather than searching fruitlessly for the same information in print... Collaborate with instructors, classmates, family members - whoever you can imagine! - with pictures and film instantly, rather than with text or letters. I never noticed these as instant changes, and perhaps this is what Mr. Miller means when he says that these are "incremental - not fundamental changes."

However, in Part 2, Mr. Miller points out that the changes in publication are, in fact, fundamental: the problem with the old humanities is that you can't make work visible. Ideas and knowledge do not belong to an individual - they belong to a culture. So in order to make these ideas visible, inspiration and technology create the New Humanities that inspire learning spaces and learning teachers to be curious, be creative, and be collaborative. Although I know some would argue that ideas don't belong to an individual, I believe that if all ideas were displayed for everyone, everyone could be inspired by them; this would create even more ideas as ideas are stemmed from the original - the possibilities would be endless! The only problem with this lies in the "who gets paid for this invention?" question...


Does the Networked Student Even Need a Teacher?
This video helped me understand more about a PLN - about how to do it, what I can use, and why I should have one. Not only does the student have a wide variety of useful sources, but he is creating an important tool for learning and further researching for himself and for anyone else who wishes to use his insight.

So if this student is creating his own learning tools, doing his own research, and learning on his own, why does he need a teacher? Without proper instruction and etiquette, the student could not successfully build his personal learning network into something reliable and useful. Some other things that the author points out are also very important duties for the teacher to fulfill for the student: the teacher shows the student how to build the network and how to take advantage of the opportunities, offers guidance wherever needed, shows the student how to ask respectfully for help from experts, helps the student differentiate between reliable sources and propaganda, and shows the student ultimately how to organize and use all the information he just acquired.

Simply explained: if it weren't for Dr. Strange, I never would have even been able to create this blog I constantly write in! Most students are not self-taught, even if the directions ARE right in front of them. When it comes to computers, I'm certainly not... I'm still learning, though.


Michael Wesch: The Machine is (Changing) Us
This video is - hands down! - my favorite video I've watched thus far. Even though this video was only 33 minutes long, it still took me well over an hour to watch the entire thing: I kept pausing to write what I thought was important, what I wanted to write about in my own blog, and what inspired me the most. After finally finishing it, I read back over my notes, and I realized that my notes alone are sufficient in showing how I felt about the video - PLUS! It gives the highlights if you don't have 33 minutes to watch it yourself. Bookmark that link because it's definitely worth it. Not only is this an amazing last-minute source for my podcast project, but it helps me see YouTube in a different light. YouTube provoking self-awareness? I would have never guessed... There was so much information, so many different insights... Very informative and entertaining!

My notes from watching this video:
Ban books because no one wants to read them? OR ... Amuse yourself to death!:
Truth would be concealed vs. truth would be drowned in irrelevance.
Why the media?:
Lonely. One in a million. Try not to get lost in anonymity. No sense of significance. One-way conversations through the television: you have to be on tv to have a voice.
MTV Generation: short attention span, materialistic, narcissistic, not easily impressed.
"I feel stupid and contagious. Here we are, now entertain us." Nirvana
The search for identity and recognition. No, create your own.
You know yourself through your interactions with others.
99.9% of YouTube videos are irrelevant to you.
"I'm talking to you, but I don't know who you are."
The medium shapes the possibilities of personality shown: you have different "versions" of yourself around certain groups, but when you're facing the YouTube community, who are you?
You will see yourself later. Will it be the same person you thought you were?
Anonymity + physical distance + rare and ephemeral dialogue = hatred as a public performance OR freedom to experience humanity without fear or anxiety.
From "I don't care. Whatever." to "I'll do whatever it takes."

So what I got out of this video was ultimately the influence the media/YouTube has on humanity isn't just mindless entertainment, self-promotion for recognition, etc. YouTube provides the individual with the means to connect to the audience without constraint of social anxiety. Which "version" of yourself do you use on YouTube? YouTube doesn't distance us from each other - it connects us. Hopefully one day we will be able to turn the "I don't care. Whatever." to "I'll do whatever it takes."